Yellow
by kennedy ann
Summary: Graduation holds more for Quinn and Rachel. Both bound for the concrete jungle, what happens when a certain blonde shows her true colors. Will NYC make all their dreams come true, or will they find their hearts desires in each other? Faberry and Bittana.
1. Chapter 1

You know that thing that happens when your muse kicks you in the ass during a really boring Army PowerPoint presentation?

No?

Well this is what that thing looks like.

**Yellow**

**Chapter 1: New Directions, different outcomes.**

_Am I… free?_

_Is this really happening?_

_This paper in my hands cannot be real…_

_Has all of this bullshit finally paid off?_

Quinn briefly noticed the tear stains quickly accumulating on the bottom of her high school diploma.

Finally, she had made it. Earning a full scholarship to NYU for her academics, room and board, plus a healthy bonus from cheerleading, and a chance to get out of Lima, Ohio forever simply reduced her to tears. No child to care for, no parents to kick her out, and no reputation to uphold was a powerful realization for the blonde. She could feel her cheeks slick with tears, the first tears she'd cried since pregnancy, and the first time she had ever shed some out of pure joy.

Visibly shaken by all her emotion, Quinn let her eyes stray from her diploma. She was met by the sight of her cookie cutter parents, something she vowed she would never let herself become. Getting as far from them as possible with no dependence on them what so ever was the only reason her high school charade had gone on so long.

"We are so proud of you, Honey." Judy Fabrey said with a fake smile. Behind the woman's eyes Quinn could see anger and resentment. Angry that her little girl was leaving her, in a world she despised but would never crawl out from. Gone were the days she could look into a glass full of whiskey and say she was doing it for her daughter, to keep them all a family. Now Judy knew she would be lucky if they even saw Quinn at holidays.

"Thanks, mom."

Quinn turned her attention to her father, looked him square in the eye and took a deep breath. Bringing herself to her full height she locked gazes with identical hazel spheres, the only thing she inherited from her father that had yet to be surgically altered on his dime.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me, Daddy?" she said with a soft cruelty she'd perfected through the years.

"Congratulations." He managed to get through tightly clenched teeth, a smile so fake it looked painful.

Quinn cocked her head to the side, observing their charade for what it was worth.

"You guys are absolutely pathetic."

"Quinn!" the small family heard Finn call from across the parking lot. He was quickly weaving his way through the groups of people, dodging little kids right before he could step on them and ducking past little old ladies with canes he could trip over.

"Great…" Quinn seethed under her breathe.

_No time like the present I suppose…_

"Hey…" he said awkwardly, running his hand threw his hair in that way he does that makes you imagine he's always wearing a wig.

"So a bunch of us are going to Breadstix later before Puck's party, would you like to go with me?" he asked, giving Quinn that "I'm a cute boy, love me!" smile that really only made him look related to Becky. (Not that Becky isn't beautiful; we all know she's a doll.)

"Sorry, but no, Finn. We aren't together anymore." The blonde said with a smile in her eyes.

"Um… what? I don't under-"

"Here, I'll break it down for you. I don't need my parents anymore, which my default means I don't need my reputation. Ergo there are a few incredible things to come out of this, one of them being I no longer need you. Not that I actually ever considered you more than just my beard anyways. So here's the hot and heavy, you're like a rubber glove. Now that I'm done with all this mess I get to take you off, through you away and show the world my hand."

Quinn climbed up on top of the silver Tahoe they were standing beside and cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Hey! McKinley High graduates! Everybody listen up!" Quinn yelled at the top of her lungs, smirking at the appalled look her parent adorned and how confused Finn still seemed to be. All eyes turned towards the HBIC's voice.

_Glad I still have some power over these people… why not shoot that to hell too?_

One pair of eyes caught hers, deep pools of mahogany she'd already fallen for almost 7 years prior. Quinn could register the small glimmer of fear mixed with the curiosity in those eyes. The ones she'd grown to love behind closed doors.

"Listen up! I have a couple of things I'd like to say. First, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Without your unwavering fear of me, I might have been a Lima loser forever. Second, I'm sorry for every slushy I've thrown, every insulating name I have spoken, and I'm sorry for every one of you that I victimized. I can't tell you how much it's haunted me over the last Six years. I know I'll never be able to make up for it, but please know I am beyond sorry."

The parking lot was dead silent, hundreds of eyes staring up at her waiting for the inevitable punch line. Quinn scanned the audience, noticing her parents had taken off just as she suspected they would.

_Good thing I sent all my stuff to New York ahead of me…_

"And lastly… I'm gay."

If she had thought it was quite before, it was of no comparison to the stillness surrounding her now. It was as if the open gapping mouths of her peers and their parents were black holes, sucking in every sound around them.

"Yeah, I'm a lesbian. A homosexual. And I'm still the prettiest girl any of you will ever see. Thanks for your time."

Quinn jumped off the truck, brushing down the skirt of her bright white sun dress. She walked over to where Britney and Santana stood, both adorning a bright smile. Quinn couldn't help but return it, loving how beautiful the two were together, no longer scared to be in love.

"HEY MCKINLEY!" Santana yelled. Quinn still couldn't believe something so tiny could be so loud.

"WE ARE ALL GAY, MOTHER FUCKERS! AND WE RULED YOU!"

The three of them all linked arms, laughing into the sunset. The weight lifted off their shoulders in a way that made them seem like they were flying. Without a glance back they left half of Lima behind, confused out of their minds. All but three individuals.

"I can't believe it…" Rachel stuttered.

"Oh come on, Honey. Those two have been sleeping together since 9th grade." Leroy, Rachel's very tall, very handsome African American father said. He shot a knowing look at his husband.

"Yes, but that Quinn girl, that was quite the surprise." Elijah said stiffly, smoothing down his daughters hair.

"Well, not really, love. I mean, I wasn't so nice in high school. The football team would have kicked me off if they would have known."

"Yes, I'm sure they would have." Eli humored his husband. Both men shared a loving smile before turning their attention to the small girl between them.

"Rachel…" Leroy asked cautiously.

"Yes, Daddy?" she said brightly, her gaze still following the three girls out into the distance.

"Are you okay? You look like your somewhere else…"

"No, Daddy. I'm right here." She smiled up at him.

"So… Julliard?" he asked his little girl. She smiled brightly and began explaining her plans at once.

"They want me to be there no later than three days time for the start of their summer stage production, so I figured I'd leave the day after tomorrow, then do a little sightseeing and then show up ready for whatever they need me for. I'll most likely only be watching or helping to build sets and getting coffee, but I am more than certain that my time to shine is on its way and in the foreseeable future. I am positive this experience will allow me to make acquaintance with the people there that can only make my moment in the spotlight shin brighter than any girl or freakishly girlish boy they have ever seen."

Rachel gave her best stage smile and took a deep breath. Her father's found themselves very pleased that their little girl had refused to change. Rachel had every reason to want to; being a social outcast in a town whose community theatre was run by the guy who owned the laundry mat was no easy feat.

Instead of conforming to what society deemed a young woman should be she kept her big dreams and even larger personality. It was safe to say her parents were extremely proud of her, and all she had overcome.

"Let's get some dinner at that vegan place across the street from Starbucks." Her daddy suggested with a smile.

"You mean the only vegan restaurant in town?" Rachel chuckled.

"That's only 'cause you're their only customer!" Elijah said playfully, sticking his tongue out at the brunette. "Then your daddy and I can drop you off at Noah's house for that party he's having."

They began walking hand-in-hand, Rachel in the middle of their Berry sandwich, towards their silver Ford Focus.

"You don't have to do that, I'm not entirely certain I want to embark on this particular ritual where young adult act like children and party all night to celebrate something almost every kid in Lima does."

"Rachel love," Leroy opened the back door for his daughter, shut it, and ducked his long frame into the pint sized car. After closing it and buckling himself up, he turned back to his pride and joy. "You should go, because it could be the last time you see your friends for a very long time. The last chance to hear Artie say something your uncle Germane would say, or Tina and Mike to get all "Asian" on someone. Or Britney to say something so dumb it's adorable and Santana to kick Finns butt for commenting on it. This could be the last time Noah says something sexually inappropriate to you! Or you and Mercedes get into a Diva war! You just have to go!"

Out of breath, Leroy could see his husband choking on a comment about Leroy's "Rachel rant", as they dubbed it the day she turned four.

"Fine…" Rachel conceded. She looked out the window as her daddy turned back into his seat, a million watt smile adorning his handsome dark features.

* * *

><p>"Girl, I honestly didn't think you had it in you!" Santana laughed, now sure they were far enough from the public to have this conversation.<p>

"Yeah, you totally showed that school how much you rock. I mean, look at us, all about sweet lady kisses and we are still loved and totally feared."

"Tots, Brit." Santana said with a smile. She leaning into her blonde and captured her in a lip-locking embrace.

"Ew, come on guys. Can't you wait to have sex till you're in private? Or at least alone?" Quinn stressed the last word.

"You are so coming to Pucks party tonight. He promised me there'd be ducks." Britney said with a bashful smile. Quinn knew if anyone could get her to do something, it was Britney Peirce.

"I don't think so, I have to leave tomorrow really early so I shouldn't-"

"Tubers, I'm driving you to the fucking airport. Suck it up, 'cause you're going tonight. I needs to get my drink on with my baby and your DDing us all home. Gots it?"

Quinn chuckled under her breath. She knew when to abandon ship.

"Fine, fine. Just help me avoid Finn. That's one problem I don't need to deal with, ever…" Quinn rolled her eyes and the sheer lack of feelings she had for her ex-beard.

"So now that you're totally out of the closet and everything, are you going to tell Rachel how you feel?" Britney asked bashfully.

Shocked that Britney knew about her hidden feelings Quinn choked on her own saliva.

"Brit!"

"Oh, shut up, Q. It's not like the entire world isn't going to figure out the reason you've been targeting her since the 7th grade. Right after she kissed your bloody lip to make it "feel better". Remember that? I gave you that fat lip. One of my proudest moments…" Santana went into her own little world.

"You were so hot in 7th grade Sani…" Britney said dreamily, fawning over Santana's shoulder.

"That's right B, and I was all yours even back then."

"Hey, let's bring this conversation back from nauseousville and to my current situation. Do you really think people are going to figure it out?" Quinn said, slightly freaked out.

"I think, that you should just tell her. Be like this." Britney turned to Santana. "You're Rachel and I'll be Q, okay?" Santana nodded in understanding.

"Rachie… I think you are really pretty, like the prettiest girl I've ever seen. And when you sing I always tear up because it's the only thing in this world that moves me. I want to take you out and show people how beautiful and smart and talented you are and get to call you mine the way Santana calls Britney hers. I love you, and I've been in love with you since you kiss my booboo when we were twelve. If you forgive me for all the mean things I've done to you, I will spend the rest of my life making up for them. I'll do anything for a chance to be your soul mate."

Quinn was flabbergasted. Santana let a few valiant tears fall, but quickly brushed them away.

"God damn it B, you're making me cry! I love how smart you are." Santana said lovingly pulling her girlfriend into a tight hug.

_How does she know all this stuff about me? Am I really that transparent? Or is she just… super Britney? No… that can't be right. I need to work more on my poker face…_

Quinn began walking away from the happy couple, knowing they would catch up to her soon enough. Left alone with her thoughts she reflected on everything that had happened. She had graduated high school, head cheerleader, salutatorian (second to one Rachel Berry), she broke up with Finn her "high school beard-heart", jumped out of the closet with rainbow streamers and a band of dildo juggling drag queens, and now she was contemplating how to tell Rachel Berry she'd been hers since they were twelve years old. Not bad for a day's work,

New York, New York was a big city; Quinn was no stranger to that fact. She did however apply to NYU with the hopes of accidentally running into Rachel a few years down the road, once all their baggage was cleaned out and they could start anew. Was this the romantic in Quinn? If you asked her a year ago she'd say it was the masochist. But now that the truth was out she could start to make amends. No longer having to live a lie, Quinn vowed to herself that if that day ever came, she would sweep Rachel Berry off her feet and shower her with everything she deserved. But for now, she had bigger, bader fish to fry.

* * *

><p>"Okay Sweetheart, just remember, if you're gonna drink-"<p>

"I'm not going to drink, Daddy."

"Stop being petulant and listen to your Father." Eli said a little too forcefully.

"If you plan on having a drink, you give us a call and we will come get you at the end of the party. No staying over Noah's, no one gets to give you a lift home. Nothing like that. If you have even a sip, you call us at the end of the night and we will bring you home with no problems. Okay?" Leroy smiled at his star, grabbing Eli's hand for support. Their little girl was growing up.

"Okay, and what do I do if I don't drink? Would you like me to walk home, Daddy?" she said stubbornly.

"No… you can call us for that too. Or you can sleep over Britney's house, I trust that girl with my life for some reason. But only if it's more than just you, her and Santana.

"Got it. Love you. Bye!" Rachel sang as she hoped out of the car.

Walking up the pathway to the Puckerman residence she tossed a look over her right shoulder and smiled at her Fathers. After ringing the doorbell, Rachel glanced down to make sure she looked okay. Opting to change from her graduation dress, she chose comfortable hip-hugging Levi's, a white tank top and white flats. She wanted to look relaxed; after all, she wasn't in high school anymore.

It wasn't long before someone answered the door.

Britney moaned into Santana's mouth once she felt the girl pull her in tightly. Their tongues danced mixing the flavors of cherry vodka and whiskey.

"God you make me so hot… I can't wait to take you home." The Latino purred into her lover's ear. Making out on Puck's mothers couch was okay, but the things they wanted to do to each other would have to wait till later.

"You guy's seriously need to get a room. Or I need better friends…" Quinn muttered under her breath.

She left to get another cherry coke with vodka for Britney and whiskey sour for Santana. As she put the finishing cherries on Britney's drink she felt a presence behind her.

"Well you aren't holding back I see. Hi, my name is Rachel Berry." She held out her hand to the blonde, not at all shocked when she hesitantly took it.

"I know… who you are…" Quinn said, confusion written all over her face.

"That's good, but I'm afraid I know absolutely nothing about you. How about you forget those drinks and I get you a soda? Maybe we could find somewhere less crowded to talk?" Rachel asked.

"Um, how about you stay right here, I'll go drop these drinks off to their rightful owners, and then I'll get you a soda." She said hesitantly, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"That sounds like a pretty reasonable plan. I'll be waiting." The brunette said with a smile, stepping aside so Quinn could make her way back to the party's hottest couple.

Once she picked the drinks up she noticed a slight tremble, her nerves seemed to be getting the best of her. She smiled as she walked past the songbird and quickly put the drinks down on the coffee table beside her best friends.

Quinn subtly ran her hand through her shoulder length hair and sniffed herself, making sure she didn't reek of B.O.

She fixed her sundress so it showed a bit more cleavage then before and spun on her heels, back to the small beauty in the kitchen.

"So, um, Rachel Berry… right? How about that soda?"

Rachel giggled; what had first been a small joke made in an attempt to get to know the real Quinn was somehow turning into a flirting extravaganza.

"I'd prefer something, a bit easier on the eyes… honestly." Rachel said boldly, making Quinn blush.

"I've got just the thing."

Quinn went to work mixing her a drink: ice, ginger ale, cherry juice and a maraschino on top.

"It's a Shirley Temple. I use to drink them as a kid…" Quinn said with a small smile. "Back porch?"

"Hmm, I thought you'd never ask."

Quinn led the brunette out of the kitchen and opened the sliding glass door for her.

"Thank you." she said politely from behind her drink. Quinn followed her out and closed the door behind them, muffling the sound of the music to a dull background noise.

"So, what's your name?" Rachel asked, taking a seat on the edge of the small concrete patio.

"Lucy Quinn Fabrey. But go by Quinn these days." She responded, sitting next to the brunette, but not too close.

"Hmm, Quinn. That's a really pretty name. Tell me some things about yourself." Rachel probed.

"Um… what kind of things would you like to know?" Quinn asked nervously, she was sure Rachel could hear her heart pounding in her chest

"Everything." Rachel stated simply.

"Okay… well. I just graduated from McKinley High, I have a full ride to the university of my dreams, I love to sing, even though I'm a bit, um, sharp at times, I'm a bit of a neat freak, but not to the point of OCD, I love all types of animals but I can't stand bugs and,"

_Oh god, this is it. I can feel the word vomit. No, don't do it! Control yourself!_

"and, I've been in love with you since we were twelve and you kissed me because I had a cut on my lip."

_Oh fuck! Oh shit! Oh fuck shit mother fucking shit!_

"Hmm…." Rachel pondered. "Why don't you like bugs?"

Quinn let out the breath she had been holding.

_Maybe I didn't actually say that out loud… or maybe she didn't hear me! Yeah! She didn't hear me! Yes, we got off scot free!_

"I don't like things that buzz, or hover, or bite, or crawl, or crunch when you step on them, or squish when you step on them, or have more legs then necessary-"

"Okay, okay! I understand now!" Rachel chuckled at Quinn's rant.

"What do you want to know about me?" Rachel asked the blonde.

"I already know everything about you." Quinn said before she could sensor herself.

"Oh really? Lets test that theory! What's my favorite color?"

"Gold."

"Well that was an easy one. How about my favorite food?" Rachel prompted.

"Pomegranate, but you can't eat them because you're deathly allergic. Next."

"Dream car?"

"That's a trick question; you would never put so much thought towards something so insignificant. In your dreams someone else is driving you and that's all that matters." Quinn said with mocking ease.

"Okay, miss know-it-all. Who is my all-time movie-star crush?"

"Julie Andrews. I have never seen you look at a man or a boy the way you look at her in The Sound of Music. You've got it bad for her."

Rachel looked shocked from head to toe. Everything about her body language screamed intruder.

"I know everything about you Rachel Berry, and I love every bit of-"

"AHHH! What the? Mike!" Rachel was covered in beer, soaking in her hair and all down the front and back of her tank top, quickly making it see-through.

"What the fuck is your problem, guy?" Quinn yelled at the dancer, furry residing all over her face.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry Rachel! I didn't see you and I didn't see the ledge and they say dancers are graceful but it's really the exact opposite and I'm so sorry!" he was visibly shaking under the blonde's harsh stare.

"Do exactly as I say." Quinn managed through clenched teeth.

"Tell Santana we have to go now, and that I'm in the car waiting, and if I'm waiting any longer than two minutes I'm wrapping her precious Beemer around a telephone pole. Got it?"

Mike only nodded and took off inside the house. Quinn turned around to see Rachel with her arms wrapped protectively around her chest, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Come on Rach, let's get you out of here." She said softly to the shocked brunette. Quinn wrapped an arm around her shoulder and took her around the back of the yard, out to where Santana's BMW was parked. She heard the "Tuttut" of the lock and knew her friends were right behind her.

"What happened to Manhands?" Santana asked.

"Do not call her that!" Quinn seethed in her direction. The look of death that fell upon her best friend would have scared a freshman enough to shit their pants.

"Roger that, Boss." She said, opening the door to the back. Quinn admired how Santana always let Britney get the front seat, even in her own car.

"Okay, Berry. What happened? You smell like piss water…"

"Mike Chang tripped and dumped a beer on me by accident." She muttered under her breath.

"Whoow! And you let him live, Q? Holy shit that mans lucky…"

"It was an accident." Rachel pleaded.

"Accident or not, if it was Brits I would have knocked him out cold. No one dumps beer on my baby and lives…"

"Sani, that's sweet and all, but I don't think Rachel is Q's yet. Q doesn't have the same rights to defend Rachel like you do me."

All four passengers spend the last five minutes to Britney's house in silence, all pondering what the young blonde had just said.

* * *

><p>Rachel looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. She sat across the guest bed with Quinn. Both were clad in an oversized t-shirt and boxer shorts, with matching blushes and enough tension to kill a horse.<p>

"Oh, fuck Brit! How do you make me feel like this still!" could be heard from the room beside them.

"Wanna play a game?" Rachel asked, trying to break the awkwardness.

"Um… sure."

"Okay, well it starts by making a statement, for instance, 'I eat animal bi-product' and then if you do you have to move one inch closer to your partner. If you don't you move one inch away.

"This sounds dangerous, Rachel." Quinn eyed her skeptically.

"No, it's not sexual. It's like, a way to find out things about each other we want to know."

"Okay, but maybe the bed isn't the best place for this game."

"Come on Quinn, don't be silly. It will be fine. So I'll go first."

"I sleep with a night-light."

Rachel moved an inch closer to Quinn and the blonde stayed in place.

"Um… I have a private vocal coach."

Neither girl moved, which greatly surprised Quinn.

"I regret my past mistakes." Rachel said quietly.

Rachel moved an inch forward, while Quinn moved half a foot.

"I tell my parents everything."

Rachel moved closer, Quinn stayed put. It was as if she couldn't move. She wouldn't do anything passed stare into Rachel's brown orbs and pray the girl was feeling what she was feeling.

"You're suppose to move an inch back, Quinn." Rachel said carefully. Quinn was staring at her in a way that made her think twice about this whole bed thing. If they kept getting closer, Rachel was unsure what events may unfold. The only plan she could come up with is to get Quinn to back up with her questions.

"I'm going to New York City for college."

To her surprise when Rachel moved her inch up she was met with a beautiful blushing blonde whose legs were only a hairs breath away from hers. One more and they would be touching. A few more and they would be on top of each other.

"My turn…" Quinn whispered breathlessly.

"I really want to kiss the girl in front of me, right now."

She moved her inch up, fully expecting Rachel to back out to the other side of the room. To her surprise Rachel moved an inch closer. Now the tops of their feet were flush as well as the fronts of their shins.

"Um, maybe we should get on our knees? That should give us some more room." Rachel stuttered.

Both girls blushed to the roots of their hair as they got up and on their knees, facing each other expectantly.

"I know who I am, and know what I want in life."

They both inched forward. They were now so close Quinn could feel the warmth radiating from Rachel.

"I'm going to be a star on Broadway." Quinn said. She watched Rachel inch forward just a bit. At the brunette exhaled their beasts grazed each others, nipples hardening instantly on contact.

Rachel pulled away quickly, she settled herself on the far side of the bed and muttered something about it being late and her being tired.

"Would you rather I sleep on the floor?" a dejected Quinn asked from her side of the bed.

"NO!" Rachel practically catapulted her way into Quinn's arms. "You should never sleep on the floor. You're too beautiful for that." Rachel said, noticing how good Quinn smelled. She burrowed herself further into the crook of the blonde's neck and breathed in her scent, letting it wash over her.

"Okay, no floor for Quinn." The blonde chuckled. Rachel sure wasn't tough to please.

"Lay down, love. I've got a big day tomorrow, and I need to sleep."

"Oh really? What are you doing tomorrow that's so important sleep takes precedence over me?" Rachel detached herself to give Quinn the best pouty lip she could muster. Quinn only chuckled.

"I fly out to NYC tomorrow. NYU's cheer camp starts in a few days." She ran her hand through the brunette's luscious locks and gave her a soft smile.

"You really are going to New York too? God, if you would have told me that earlier today I probably would have started crying, but now I feel myself growing a bit excited…" Rachel said with amazement. The forlorn look on Quinn's face at the mention of Rachel's fear of her did not go unnoticed.

"Oh, Quinn. I didn't mean it to sound so trivial." She cupped the blondes face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together.

"The past is the past. I look forward to getting to know the real Quinn Fabrey. So far, I really like what I see…" she said. Rachel brought her lips to the side of Quinn's mouth. The blonde let her eyes flutter shut at the feeling on Rachel's breath so close to her lips.

"Goodnight Quinn." She sang softly and kissed the side of her mouth, just missing her lips. Rachel turned around and scooted her body back until it was pressed softly against Quinn's. After what felt like hours the blonde finally relaxed and embraced the small body in front of her. She reveled in the softened of their legs touching. The way her breasts fell so perfectly in place against her back and how good the beauties still damp locks smelled. Never before had she felt so complete, and Rachel wasn't even hers.

_Yet._


	2. Chapter 2

PowerPoint presentation number two…

I definitely do not own Coldplay. Just thankful their beautiful lyrics and melodies can evoke my muse.

So, kinda flattered, no lie. I stopped counting the favorites and alerts so… that's pretty rad. Um…. I love you?

**Yellow **

**Chapter 2: Look At the Stars.**

"**Flight 378 is now boarding zones one through three. Flight 378 to JFK is now boarding zones one through three."**

Quinn stood up from her seat outside the gate, checking her ticket once more, confirming she was in fact part of zone three.

_Finally, time to get out of here…_

"Okay guys, this is my stop. I still have no idea how you managed to get that security lady to let you in without a boarding pass…" Quinn said, a hint of amusement laced in her tone.

"Let's just say I know a little something something about his um… extramarital affairs." Santana said with a shit eating grin.

"What's an extra marital affair?" Britney asked.

"It's when two people get married, but then one goes off and has sexy times with someone else."

"Oh… I totally get it now…"

"And back to you leaving. Have fun without me, Cap." Santana said sarcastically.

"Hey, you chose to go on tour with B this summer… it's not my issue I have to do this boot camp by myself. I'll see you guys in a few months anyways once the semester starts."

"Do you think I could ever pass up a chance to see my baby shine? For a cheerleading camp, no less? Hell no. I'm going to be on the side of that stage every time Brits goes on and shakes that thang. Meeting usher ain't gonna be so bad either."

"Totally. And after my tour, we'll all be back together and can tots rule the school again." Britney said with a mischievous smile.

"Not this time, B. I'm just going to focus on my school work, and cheerleading, and-"

"Berry?" Santana questioned, a perfectly shaped eyebrow arched as high as the sky.

"Goodbye…" Quinn sung, the airline announcer in the background calling zones one through four. She pulled the bubbly blonde into a giant bone crushing hug.

"You are going to be amazing, B." she whispered.

"Kick some vicious ass at camp for us." she whispered back.

"Will do." She said with a smile, pulling away from the dancer. She turned to Santana and gave her an awkward smile. They had never been very affectionate with each other; both always found it a sign of weakness.

"See you…" she mumbled, eyeing the gate nervously. The Latino simply rolled her eyes at the girl.

Santana stepped forward and brought both her hands up, pushing the blonde's straight hair out of her face and behind her ears. She leaned in and tentatively pressed her lips to the blondes, kissing her for a few seconds. It was too plutonic to be considered romantic, but too full of feeling to just be friendly.

_She's actually going to miss me…_

She pulled away, hovering close with her hands still framing the blondes face.

"Te amo." The brunette whispered softly so only Quinn and Britney could hear.

"I'm going to miss you too, S." Quinn said breathlessly, still in shock from the open display of affection so uncharacteristically like the Latina.

"You guys are like, super cute. If Q wasn't tots into Rachie and you went so in love with me I think you guys would be like… the prettiest couple in the world." Britney said with a thousand watt smile.

The two cheerleaders jumped apart quickly, both trying to shake off the pleasant tingling there moment together gave them.

"Yeah, so. I'll see you guys soon. Love you!" Quinn said hurriedly. She grabbed her carry-on and her purse, ran up to the ticket counter and handed over her boarding pass. With a small wave, and the beep of a scan she was on her way to New York City, finally leaving Lima, Ohio behind her.

* * *

><p>"Rachel sweetheart! You're going to be late if you don't get in the car this second!" Leroy shouted from the bottom of the staircase. Rachel was taking in her childhood bedroom for the last time till Hanukah.<p>

"I'm coming, Daddy!" she yelled still stationary in her room.

_I really need to grow up. Pink walls? An elliptical? Look at all those stuffed animals…_

It wasn't until she was on her way out that she realized how much she had held herself back.

"Goodbye room." She said with conviction. Grabbing her small pink book bag with the gold star on the front pocket, she ran down stairs, making a mental note to buy a purse when she got to the airport.

"Let's go baby-cakes; you don't want to miss your fight now, do you?" Her father, Elijah said from the open front door.

"I'm going!" Rachel whined as she ran out the door and into the silver car parked in her parent's driveway.

"Buckle up!" her daddy said from the driver's seat.

"So if we go 7 miles over the speed limit we should make it there with enough time to say a proper goodbye, assuming we don't hit traffic." Eli said hurriedly as he buckled himself up.

"Love; every time you open your mouth I am reminded that Rachel is in fact half of your DNA. Relax, please."

They pulled out of the driveway and made their way to the Lima/Mt. Carmel international airport.

Once they had pulled in and walked to the front of security, Rachel's fathers were already breaking down into tears.

"Dad, Daddy. Please do not cry, as you'll just make me cry and I really want to start this particular chapter of my life off with a smile on my face. You always taught me to put my best foot forward and I'm afraid puffy eyed, snotty nosed Rachel is not my personal best." She lectured then with a sad smile.

"You're right, Honey. Eli, we can't do that to her."

The middle aged Jewish man nodded wiping his tears away.

"You're absolutely right, Honey. Come here and give you Daddy and I a big hug and kiss." He said, still clearly fighting back the tears.

"You guys are coming out to see me at the start of the semester, and I'll be back for Hanukkah. It's not like I'll never see you again. I love you guys, and you should know you have been the best parents a girl could ever ask for. I'm going to go, so I don't miss my flight, but I'm going to call you when I get there. Okay?" she said, trying to move this goodbye alone before she shed the tears threatening to explode from her eye ducts.

"We love you sweetie!" they both called out as she made her way to the security line. They watched as the officer there made her remove her jewelry and shoes. They watched her walk through without a single beep and they clutched at each other for support when she grabbed her bag and started her way to the gate. Their little girl wasn't so little anymore.

* * *

><p><strong>Ring… ring…ring…<strong>

"_Fabrey."_

"Hey."

"_Hey yourself."_

"I was just letting you know that my plane is about to take off, so I'll see you in a few hours?"

"_Yes… I'll be at baggage claim terminal six, so go straight there_."

"Okay, thanks, Quinn."

"_No problem, Rachel_."

"I really like it when you call me that…"

"_You mean your name?"_

"Yeah."

"_Well, have a good flight, Rachel_."

"Thanks again, Quinn."

"_Anything for you."_

The song bird pressed the end button on her dial pad with the world's brightest smile on her face. Quinn Fabrey was calling her Rachel. Quinn Fabrey, HBIC was picking her up from the airport. Quinn fucking Fabrey, prettiest girl in the world was head over heels in love with her!

_This could so end up working in my favor. _

She sent off a quick text to her father's saying she loved them and was turning off her phone for the plane ride. As her thumb hovered over the power button she wondered if it could hurt to send one last text before the obviously gay airplane attendant gave her the stink eye again. She hurriedly typed out the message.

**I can't wait to see you. –R**

She looked around to make sure the man with the sour look was nowhere near as she sent it. Seeing the coast all clear she counted to ten, hoping Quinn would reply in time. When she felt her phone buzz she nearly leapt out of her own skin in pure excitement.

**Not nearly as excited as I am. We even get to see the city without Mr. Shue hanging all over us. ;) –Q**

**I know! It's going to be so magical now that there aren't 12 people forced into a group, all wanting to do different things! –R**

"Excuse me, young lady! We are about to take off now! Can you please turn off your cell phone!" the gay flight attendant was back and even ruder then before. Rachel quickly sent the text then turned off her phone; looking up to give "Matthew", as his name tag said, a Broadway smile.

"**Hello folks, this is your Captain speaking. It's looken like it's gonna be a pretty clear flight with maybe a small patch of turbulence here and there. Current temperature in New York, New York is 83 degrees F and the humidity is at 40 percent. We should be landing there around 2:38 local time. So on behalf of your crew here on Delta flight 53, please sit back and enjoy your flight, we'll keep you updated as we go alone."**

* * *

><p>"Look at the stars… look how they shine for you… and everything you do. Yeah they were all yellow." Quinn sang to herself. She was early. Very, very early. Not only was she early, but she was nervous, something Quinn Fabrey was not use to being.<p>

"I came along... I wrote a song for you… and all the things you do. And it was called yellow."

She kept herself vigilant. You would think a five foot two brunette with a bright pink back-pack would be pretty noticeable, but with all the bodies running to and from around her, she couldn't differentiate between a transvestite and a child.

"So then I took my turn… oh what a thing to have done… and it was all yellow."

She turned her Ipod up just a bit, trying to drown out the chaos surrounding her. The corner of her the device said it was 2:48 pm. Rachel should have gotten off her plane by now.

"Your skin… oh yeah your skin and bones. Turn in…. to something beautiful. Do you know… you know I love you so? You know I love you so."

Quinn grabbed her purse and stood on the chair she was currently occupying, hoping to get enough height advantage to see the brunette.

"I swam across… I jumped across for you… oh what a thing to do… 'cause see we're all yellow."

She scanned the crowd around her, people of all races dressed in everything from rags to Prada. Some sipping Macchiato's from their Starbuck's cup, some begging for change to be dropped in theirs.

"I drew a line… I drew a line for you. Oh what a thing to do… and it was all yellow."

She felt someone tapping at her leg and looked down to see a young girl playing with the bottom of her sun dress.

"You have a pretty voice." She said softly. A woman in a power suit grabbed her had a bit too roughly and schooled the child for talking to a stranger standing on a chair.

"Just skin… oh yeah your skin and bones. Turn in… to something beautiful. Do you know… for you I bleed myself dry. For you I bleed myself dry."

She smiled and waved to the little girl, who was still looking off to her in the distance.

Quinn brought herself up to her tippy toes, looking off to where people from terminal C were pouring out from. In the distance she could see a small girl wearing an argyle sweater. Her face lit up instantly and she began her trek threw the hundreds of people between them.

"It's true… look how they shine for you… look how they shine for you… look how they shine for…"

She could feel her pulse racing as she made her way through the maze of people.

"Look how they shine for you… look how they shine for you… look how they shine."

She reached the girl and tapped her shoulder. The girl turned around and upon seeing Quinn backed away. Her blue eyes clearly conveying confusion.

"Oh… sorry, I thought you were someone else." She said, embarrassed.

She looked around, trying to see over the heads of everyone surrounding her.

"Look at the stars… look how they shine for you."

As she turned around she sang the last bit of the song.

"And all the things that you… do."

She was greeted with a small blushing smile.

"Hey, Rachel."

"Guess you didn't hear me calling your name." she nervously laughed.

"What? I can't hear y-" Quinn said.

Rachel stepped into the blonde's personal space and pulled the ear buds out from her ears.

"I said, I guess you didn't hear me calling your name. I've been chasing you since you stepped off that bench."

Quinn turned a dark shade of pink and ducked her head.

"I'm sorry about that I was just a bit-"

"Nervous? Yeah. Me too." She said with a crooked grin.

"_God she is so beautiful…"_ they both thought.

"What were you singing, by the way?" Rachel asked, shouldering her new black and white zebra print purse.

"Um… just a song that reminds me of you. Nothing all that special." Quinn mumbled, trying really hard not to look the brunette in her eyes.

"Does this song happen to have a title?" Rachel probed.

Quinn just shrugged and tried to cover her blush with a small cough.

"Let's get out of this zoo, so you can tell me all about your plane ride here." Quinn said, placing her hand on Rachel's forearm in her attempt to steer her towards the door.

"It's a good thing I sent my bags to Julliard, this place is absolutely horrid!"

"Yes, it is. Next time you're flying into La Guardia." Quinn chuckled to herself.

"Next time? So you plan on picking me up from the airport every single time I come back from holiday?" Rachel asked playfully.

"Um… ah, just until you have met some friends or get your first boyfriend or something like that." Quinn choked out, the last part causing her physical pain to say. "You know, just until you don't need me anymore."

"Hey, I didn't ask you to meet me here because I'm using you. You are my first friend in New York, I want you here." Rachel said with a shy smile. She brought her hand up and took the blondes hand. Quinn blushed scarlet and continued waiving them through the crowd and out to the street.

Quinn hailed a cab like she had been doing this since in diapers, causing Rachel to attack her with twenty-one questions.

"How many times have you been to New York? Where did you learn to do that? I've been practicing that since I was four and it take me five minutes to hail a cab! Do you have super powers? Did you pay the cab driver extra money to wait for you out here so you could impress me with your cab hailing skills?"

"Five, taught myself, that doesn't surprise me at all, only when I'm using my tongue, and definitely not." Quinn said with a laugh.

"Julliard, please." She said confidently to the Pakistani man talking into his blue tooth. He punched the meter and speed off into the jam of traffic in front of them.

Quinn made herself comfortable in her seat, draping an arm casually across the back of the center seat.

"You are… nothing like I thought you were." Rachel said with astonishment.

"What do you mean?"

"Well for starters, the Quinn Fabrey I know would never take a 45 minute cab ride to JFK to pick up anyone, much less one Rachel Berry. Second, I have never in my life seen you exuberate such confidence without putting the fear of good in the eyes of everyone around you. Also, you look incredible beautiful today. I always loved this dress on you, as I feel the soft green compliments your skin tone and makes your eyes look like the sea."

Rachel took a deep breath, finding herself perplexed by the smile on the other girls face.

"You called me beautiful." Quinn said matter-of-factly.

"Um, yes? So?"

"Oh nothing. I'm just going to make sure you remember that next time you go to kiss me on the cheek, and I accidently turn my head."

Rachel blushed to the roots of her brown hair and tried to play it cool by looking out the window and towards the city she now called home.

"That better not happen, Miss Fabrey." Rachel said jokingly. Gazing into the horizon she felt her heart beat sync with the traffic around her.

"_Finally…"_ she thought. She grabbed Quinn's hand that was resting on the back of the seat between them and brought it to her lap, intertwining their fingers and giving them a soft squeeze in excitement.

"_Finally…"_ Quinn thought. Quinn gazed longingly at her dream-girl, as said beauty gazed lovingly at her dream city.

"It's breath taking, you know?" Rachel asked excitedly.

"Yeah, it truly is." Both girls lost themselves in silence, too afraid to take a stab at the elephant in the cab. After counting down from ten three times Rachel finally felt enough courage to speak up.

"I forgive you, you know. I forgave you a while ago, actually."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness; I don't deserve anything from you." Quinn said, tarring her gaze from the brunette and pinning it to the city.

"Yet, I offer you my friendship still." Rachel squeezed her hand, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

"And, I'll never take that for granted." Quinn looked over and looked eyes with soulful brown. "I promise."


End file.
